Dusting off the old blog to see if I can manage some lexember posts!
The three verb stems below all are based on the incorporated instrument tvlen ‘eye’, which along with other incorporated nominals in the language has become largely lexicalized (although still productive in forming certain types of derived verbs).
Tvlenoosuk- /tvlen'o:sʉk/ to be sick with jealousy or desire, to be extremely covetous or jealous origin: OK æn-wla:n-o:s-uk (INC-eye-die-APPL), lit. ‘to die by the eye’
Eǎvm tvlenoosuketusokǎmǎ fevluušaut ekeǎktǎt eǎvm tvlenoosuk-etu-so-kǎ-mǎ fevl-uuša-ut ekeǎk-tǎ-t child be.desire.sick-APPL-DIR-INDIC-3SBJ play-PASS-NMZ fresh-DIR-REL “The children are sick with envy for new toys.”
Tvlenseqek- /tvlen'seqek/ to challenge or subdue with a glare origin: OK æn-wla:n-tʰaq-uk (INC-eye-hit-APPL), lit. ‘to hit with the eye’
Vaupux raat maa tvlenseqektǎke þaidǎtš saa vaup-ux raat maa vau tvlenseqek-ta-u þaidǎtš saa wolf-EMPH dog dem challenge.by.glare-DIR-IRR even IPFV “That dog subdues even wolves with a glare.”
Tvlenkeǎxek- /tvlen'keɜχek/ to appreciate a work of art, intently watch a performance origin: MiK æn-wla:n-ketʃ-uk (INC-eye-eat-APPL), lit. ‘to eat with the eye’
Eutšǎnseqtǎ aaxǎnaut tvlenkeǎxektǎkauve eu-tšǎnseq-tǎ aax-ǎnǎ tvlenkeǎxek-tǎ-ka-uve INDEF.HUM-dance-DIR good-ADV-REL appreciate.by.eye-DIR-INDIC-1SBJ “We took in the excellent dancing.”